Three-Minute Fiction: Round 8 Deadline

Author Luis Alberto Urrea reminds listeners that the deadline for Round 8 of Three-Minute Fiction is tonight, Sunday, March 25, at 11:59 p.m. ET. All submissions must be received by then to be considered a valid entry in the contest. The story must begin with the sentence: "She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally decided to walk through the door". As always, the story must be 600 words or less. To submit a story, go to npr.org/threeminutefiction.

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Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF CLOCK TICKING)

LUIS ALBERTO URREA: I'm Luis Alberto Urrea, and I'm the judge for Round 8 of WEEKEND on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED's Three-Minute Fiction contest. How important is the first line of a story? Well, it can make it or break the pages that follow. And for Three-Minute Fiction this time, I've chosen a first sentence for you. I want you to open with the line: She closed the book, placed it on the table and finally decided to walk through the door.

You can continue the story any way you like, but you must use that first sentence, and, yes, that sentence is included in the 600-word count. And I have a little tip for you: I think a lot of that story hides in the word finally.

(SOUNDBITE OF CLOCK TICKING)

LAURA SULLIVAN, HOST:

You heard him, folks. Now is the time to get your story in because the deadline is tonight, Sunday, March 25th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. All submissions must be received by then to be considered. To submit your story, go to npr.org/threeminutefiction. That's Three-Minute Fiction all spelled out, no spaces.